6 Rock Climbing Tips From An Instagram-famous Climber

Tiffany Soi shares some advice.

by Adora Wong /
October 1, 2018

Rock climbing is currently the thing to do here, as evident from the multiple new gyms that have sprouted across the island. Just started climbing and looking for a couple of tips to help you along? We got Tiffany Soi, an Instagram-famous climbing athlete (who also created her own workout, ClimbFlow) to share six tips.

1. There is no such thing as a "right body type" to be a good climber, so just do it

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“Climbing is suitable for everyone and you don’t have to be a super fit semi-pro athlete to start. Everyone who tries it sees an improvement [in their physique] really quickly— that’s one of the biggest draws of the sport. You’ll be surprised by what you can do in a couple of weeks.”

2. Wear shoes that fit

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“When you first start climbing, you’ll probably use rental shoes. That’s OK, but it’s really important that you wear a pair that is snug but not painful. Your toes should press up to the end of the shoe. Your feet play a major role in climbing and you want to be able to feel where you’re placing them! If your shoes are too big, you won’t be able to place your feet on the footholds.”

3. Use your legs as much as possible

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“Much as climbing requires pulling in the arms, using your legs and feet to drive your movement will make it a much more efficient – and successful – process! And because you aren’t trying to do everything with your arms, you save more energy. Try to climb with ‘long’ arms, so allow your weight to sink into your feet and hips and [let them power your movements.]”

4. Use your female advantage

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“Women generally make faster progress in climbing than men, so don’t be put off by guys with muscle. You’ll definitely make strength gains from climbing, but women also get ahead by utilising their whole body, getting creative [with movement] and developing technique to get them up the wall instead of just relying on muscle to burl their way through. Technique and footwork skills will also give you [an] edge.”

5. Always warm up and cool down

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“It’s important to rep your body climbing activity. A little bit of running on the spot, arm circles and squats will get you ready to climb! Don’t know how to do a squat right? You can check out this video here. Likewise, taking time to cool down and stretch after climbing will help prevent muscle soreness and improve recovery.”

6. Do some cross training

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“I always say you have to climb to get better at climbing, but you can also improve your game by strengthening your core strength, stability, leg strength and shoulders. The exercises in the TBreaks series with DIVA are a perfect example of whole body exercises will help you get more out of your time on the wall and feel fitter in your everyday life!”